The Spirit
The Spirit is a 2008 American neo-noir superhero film, written and directed by Frank Miller and starring Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film is based on the newspaper comic strip The Spirit, by Will Eisner, and produced by OddLot and Lionsgate Films. Plot Denny Colt (Gabriel Macht), also known as "the Spirit", learns about a major case from Detective Sussman (Dan Gerrity) involving his nemesis, "the Octopus" (Samuel L. Jackson). The Spirit dons his costume and travels across rooftops, saving a woman before connecting with Officer Liebowitz (Frank Miller). At the swampland, femme fatale Sand Saref (Eva Mendes) rises from the water to shoot Sussman. The Spirit and Liebowitz find the wounded Sussman. Sand and her husband Mahmoud (Eric Balfour) had earlier fled with chests they recovered from the water. Shot at, Sand escaped, leaving one chest behind which was retrieved by Octopus. The Octopus kills Liebowitz, and his cloned henchmen attack the Spirit. His accomplice Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson) flees with the chest as the two arch-nemeses fight. The next morning, the Spirit is awakened by his lover, Dr. Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), daughter of Commissioner Eustace Dolan (Dan Lauria). He is undeterred by his gunshot wounds. He notices a gold locket in Sussman's hand, which had been torn from Sand Saref's neck. The locket contains pictures of a much-younger Colt and Sand, and had been his gift to her. Sand had become disenchanted with the city's corruption following the death of her father, a police officer, and left for fifteen years. In a secret lair, the Octopus and Silken Floss discover their chest contains the Golden Fleece, not the Blood of Heracles, as expected. Sand and Mahmoud visit an underworld figure who sold them the location of the treasure, and it is implied he gave the location to the Octopus. Having fully regenerated, Commissioner Dolan calls The Spirit away to a case and relates Sand's history as one of the world's great jewel thieves. While arresting her, he reveals he knows she is looking for the Golden Fleece, and she shoves him through a window, which he survives. The Spirit receives a tip on the location of the Octopus's lair but is captured while investigating. The Octopus reveals that his and Floss's experimentation led to the creation of an immortality serum. The Octopus first tested it on Colt's dead body; Colt came back to life and earned the ire of Death for escaping her clutches. Eventually, the Octopus injected himself with the serum, but he needs the blood of Heracles, a demi-god, to perfect the formula. The Spirit escapes by seducing assassin Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega), who as a parting gift turns on The Octopus. When the Spirit mentions Sand's name, she stabs him out of spite. After recovering, the Spirit stumbles to the city docks and collapses into the water, where the Lorelei (Jaime King), the Angel of Death, confronts him. He initially submits but changes his mind after remembering the women he has known. As he swims to the surface, she vows to have him. At the projects, Sand, Floss, and their henchmen meet to exchange the Blood of Heracles for the Golden Fleece. Sand attempts to convince Floss to leave the Octopus before he kills her. Floss gains the upper hand and the Octopus asks Floss for the vase of blood. As the Spirit suddenly materializes, Floss drives off, unable to take a side. The Octopus shoots a series of progressively larger guns at the Spirit, apparently killing him, but Dolan's SWAT team storms the area and opens fire. The Octopus is maimed; as he desperately tries to drink the Blood of Heracles, Sand shoots the vase. The Spirit rises, shown to be wearing a bullet-proof vest, and blows up the Octopus with a grenade while Sand uses the Golden Fleece to protect them from the explosion. The Spirit gives Sand her locket back. They kiss as Ellen looks on, feeling betrayed. The old flames bid each other goodbye and the Spirit convinces Dolan to let Sand go in gratitude for saving him and the world. Nearby, Floss discovers one of the Octopus's severed fingers crawling towards her; she picks it up and departs with two of the clones. Meanwhile, the Spirit and Ellen make amends and embrace. Cast * Gabriel Macht as Denny Colt / The Spirit: An ambitious and formerly eager young cop killed on the job, who under mysterious circumstances is reborn as a masked crimefighter with an eye for the ladies.5 Determined to still keep his beloved city safe, he works with Central City's police force from the shadows. Miller had required actors who wanted the starring role to audition, and Macht was able to attain the role in August 2007.6 ** Johnny Simmons as Young Denny Colt5 * Samuel L. Jackson as The Octopus: A former coroner turned psychotic supervillain who plans to bring all of Central City to its knees and will kill without discretion anyone unlucky enough to stand in his way. Jackson was Miller's first choice for the role and was cast in May 2007.7 Jackson, Miller, and the costume designer went through the various scenes of the film to design elaborate costumes for the Octopus to wear — to the point that in every scene he appears in his look is different than the one before. They include a samurai robe complete with a wig, a full Nazi SS uniform, a Western duster influenced outfit with a ludicrously out-of-proportion cowboy hat, and a costume consisting of a Russian-esque hat and a fur-lined coat influenced by 1970's blaxploitation pimps. When asked about the change from the Octopus just being recognized by a pair of gloves in the comics to the various costumes, Jackson stated "It's just an opportunity to be larger than life to take the Octopus's theme of dressing the way he feels everyday, or having a theme to his day to day life and making some sense with it. And hopefully the audience will take the ride with us."8 * Scarlett Johansson as Silken Floss: A femme fatale secretary and perversely innocent accomplice to the Octopus, only slightly more sane than he is.9 * Eva Mendes as Sand Saref:10 The Spirit's childhood sweetheart, who perennially seduces and marries wealthy men, has them killed, and uses their money to fund criminal exploits in a constant pursuit of a life of the highest luxury and influence over the criminal underworld. She is also a tragic anti-heroine, with her policeman father accidentally murdered, causing her to have a hatred of police and Central City, and break up with aspiring cop Denny Colt. In the movie her character shares characteristics with P'Gell from The Spirit comics. The actress told director Frank Miller that she wanted to work with him on The Spirit before she had seen a script for the film.11 ** Seychelle Gabriel as Young Sand Saref * Sarah Paulson as Ellen Dolan: The police commissioner's daughter and a top surgeon who considers it her duty as the Spirit's current flame to keep him healthy and alive (much to her father's chagrin).5 * Dan Lauria as Commissioner Eustace Dolan: The hard-boiled and commanding police commissioner of Central City and the Spirit's father figure.5 * Stana Katic as Morgenstern: A spunky rookie officer and skilled sharpshooter who idolizes the Spirit.5 * Louis Lombardi as Phobos, Logos, Pathos, Ethos, Bulbos, Huevos and Rancheros, Mangos, Adios and Amigos, etc.: The Octopus's thuggish and moronic, yet highly resilient cloned henchmen.5 * Jaime King as Lorelei Rox: A phantasmic siren and the Angel of Death waiting to take the Spirit, who must continually force himself to resist her.12 * Paz Vega as Plaster of Paris: A sexy French belly dancer and assassin in the employ of the Octopus, she wields tri-pronged throwing knives and a sword.12 Gallery Trivia Category:2008